Stamp-affixing apparatus.



E. HAAS. STAMP APFIXING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1911.

Patented May 26, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PMNOGRAPH Cm, WASHINGTON, D. c.

E. HAAS.

} STAMP AFPIXING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED we. 5, 1911.

1,098,254, Patented May 26, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

g j 1 i o W flaw my:

COLUMBIA PLANCIGRAPH Cc.,wASHlNuToN. n. c.

UNITED STATES FATEN UFFTGE.

ERNEST HAAS, OF MAFTCHESTER, ENGLAND.

ST'AMP-AFFIXING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Application filed August 5, 1911.

Patented May 26, 1914:.

Serial No. 642,480.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST HAAs, citizen of Switzerland, residing at Manchester, 1n

the county of Lancaster, Kingdom of Great- Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Afiixing Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which' it appertains to the apparatus is greatly simplified, thestamp feed rendered more accurate, accessible and observable and the stamps are damped after theyhave been fed, the envelop or the like brought into its proper position below the. plunger and the envelop or the like with stamp afiixed delivered into a receptacle which may be collapsible. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying two sheets of drawings in which.

Figures 1 and 4 are side views, the latter partly in section Fig. 1 showing the operative parts of the apparatus in their normal position, and Fig. 4 when the plunger has been depressed. F igglf is a detached front view. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1, the envelop or the like receptacle being in the former shown collapsed and in the latter extended. Fig. 3 is a cross section of Fig. 4. Fig. 3* is a sectional detailed view taken on the same plane as Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a side view and a sectional plan, and Figs. 7 and 8 are back views, the latter partly in section, on an enlarged scale of the head of the apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the severaliviews. I

a is the machine body, I) the stamp rib- 7 bon, c-the stamp'ribbon spool, (Z the stamp ribbon feed table, 6 the stamp ribbon feed slide, f the feed foot, 9 the stamp severing knife, h the plunger, 2' the stamp damping medium, is the water reservoir, Z the envelop or the like delivery roller, m the envelop or the like receptacle.

In carrying out my invention and referring to Figs. 1, 2, 8' and 4:, I arrange the stamp feed slide 7 at the side instead of in the middle above the stamp. ribbon feed table (Z and feed foot with path approximately in the same horizontal plane as that of the said feed slide whereby the latter is brought in full view of the operator and rendered more positive and reliable in action. The slide 6 is mounted in abed formed in or on the body a of the machine and is under the influence of a spring n adapted to bring it back to its normal position to abut against the-machine bodv a. This slide has an arm reaching over the feed table d and having a boss 0 central with the feed table cl in which is mounted a rod p carrying at its lower end the feed foot f. To reduce the friction in raising and lowering the said feed foot and at the same time secure a rigid fit when lowering, this rod has a conical part 9 fitting into a correspondingly shaped hole in the boss 0 and is placed under the influence of a spring 7- which tends to press the feed foot f upon the stamp ribbon b. The upper end of this rod has secured thereto a knob s with a :cam face If adapted to work against a similar face a on a cap '0 on the top of the boss 0, see Figs. 1 and 3, whereby the feed foot f can be readily raised and lowered bv hand to facilitate the insertion and adjustment of the stamp ribbon b.

The front part of the machine body a is cranked siclewise and has an upwardly eX- tending arm to in which is mounted the plunger h. The arm w has secured in front a cap w leaving a slot y at the side of the plunger. Through this slot a stud projects from the plunger to which is pivoted arod 2 having at its free end an adjustable abutment 8. This abutment has a shank 4: adapted to slide in a block 5 pivoted to an arm 6 secured to a shaft 7 mounted'in bearings on the feed slide 6. The shaft ,7" has also secured to it an arm 8 adaptedto bear against a stud 9 secured to the rod 79 of the feed foot f and passing through a slot in the boss 0. Each time the plunger his depressed the abutment on the rod 2 'connectingthe plunger with the feed slide 6 contacts with the block 5 which causes the arm 6 which carries the block 5 to turn the shaft 7 to which it is secured and by means of the arm 8 raise the feed foot f.

On the outside of the machine body a, I mount a shaft 10 carrying a finger 11 adapted to arrest the feed slide a during its inward movement and thereby cause the abutment 3 to leave the block 5 and release and allow the feed foot f to instantly dro) upon the stamp ribbon b. The shaft 10 has also secured thereto an arm 11 which is actuated by the plate it of the plunger h when rising, the plate in contacting with the arm 11 at the end of each upward movement of the plunger which causes the shaft 10 to turn and the finger 11 secured thereto to release the feed slide 6 and thus the feed foot f to feed he stamp ribbon Z).

In order to vary the amount of feed of the stamp ribbon 5, the shaft 10 has a screw threaded end carrying two nuts a by means of which the longitudinal position of the shaft 10 and hence the finger 11 thereon is rendered variable in relation to the feed slide 6, while the spring around the shaft 10 insures the finger 11 being brought into the path of the slide 0 when required, one end of the said spring being secured and the other pressing upon the sa1d finger in a rotary sense. The

feed table (Z is fulcrumed to a stud 12 projecting from the machine body a and thus is readily removed when required. The top of the feed table (Z has a groove 13 in width corresponding with the stamp ribbon Z) and containing a plate 14: removably secured and adapted to rest upon the stamp ribbon to keep it flat and extending through a groove 15 in the underside of the feed foot to the front of the feed table (Z. The stamp ribbon 7) passes underneath the plate It and can be adjusted by a roller 16 mounted on the feed table (Z at the back of the plate 1 1. To the rear of the arm 10 of the machine body is fulcrumed an angular lever 17 adapted to be actuated by the feed foot f or slide) on the outward move ment thereof to press the front end of the plate 1 1 upon and thereby hold the stamp ribbon in position upon the table (Z while severing a stamp.

In order to facilitate the use of stamp ribbons of different values on spools c I mount the same in such a manner on a stud 18 carried by a bracket 19 at the roar of the feed table (Z, that the spools can be brought in and out of use as may be desired, see F ig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, in order to permit of damping the stamp to be affixed after it has been severed from the ribbon by the knife g, I fulcrum a damping device to the arms or studs 20 of the rollers 21- supporting the stamp while being severed, which rollers in this case are grooved. The said damping device consists of a plate 22 fulcrumed to the roller studs 20 and extending underneath the rollers 21.

The inner sideof each of the plates 22 has a number of tubes 23 projecting upward between and at each side of the grooves 2 1 in the rollers 21. The upper ends of the tubes 23 are each furnished with a flexible nipple 25 projecting slightly from the periphery of the rollers 21 capable of yielding and containing a damping medium 2', say fibrous threads passing from the tubes 23 to the water receptacle 7.0 and incased in a flexible tube 26. The water receptacle 7a is pivoted underneath the feed table (Z to the base of the apparatus so as to be capable of being turned from underneath the feed table (Z to facilitate filling with water. To each of the plates 22 is secured a cover 27 extending at each side and between the roller grooves 24 to near the nipples 25, which covers prevent the stamp from dipping between and at the side of the grooves 2 1. Normally the free ends of the nipples 25 are below the top level of the rollers 21 see Fig. 7 and when required to damp the stamp are raised, say by a projection 28 on the plunger 72 coming into contact with an abutment 29 on and turning the plate 22 thereby bringing the free ends of the nipples 25 into contact with the gummed side of the stamp supported on the rollers 21 in which position they remain locked during the descent and opening of the legs 30 carrying the rollers 21 and the damping of the stamp by the nipples 25 by pins 31 on the plates 22 engaging in spring catches 32, see Fig. 8. After the stamp has been damped, the further downward movement of the plunger 7t causes the plates 22 carrying the nipples 25 to be turned back into their normal position, say by the plunger h contacting with a projection 33 on each of the plates 22 see dotted lines Fig. 8. The legs 30 are opened by their free ends contacting with cam faces 34- formed on the T piece 85 secured to the machine arm or cap :0. The delivery roller Z I mount in the machine base parallel with the front of the machine, Figs. 1, 2 and 1, and in con nection therewith I employ a receptacle m which may be carried by a frame 36 slidable in or on the machine base for the purpose of collapsing the receptacle m when the machine is not in use, see Fig. The delivery roller Z is rotated by means of a pinion 37 on the roller. and a rack 38 in therewith actuated from the stamp feed or plunger h by an arm Z) secured to the feed slide 0 engaging in a recess at the inner end of the rack 38 in such a manner that on the down stroke of the plunger the roller Z turns inward and on the upstroke outward. I also employ a guide 89 on the base of the machine against which the envelop or the like is moved by the delivery roller Z, Figs. 1 and 2 when placing it on the machine base which insures the stamps being affixed always in the same position in re- Tpect of the top edge of the envelop or the I claim:

1. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp affixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide at the side of the said table, a stamp ribbon feed foot carried by the said slide and located over the said table and means for actuating the said slide from the said plunger, the path of the said slide being approximately in the same horizontal plane as that of the said feed foot and the path of the said feed foot in a vertical plane with the said plunger, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an apparatus for aifixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp aflixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide at the side of the said table, and a stamp ribbon feed foot carried by the said slide and located over the said table, the said slide having a conical socket and the said feed foot a coned rod fitting the said socket, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In an apparatus for aflixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp aflixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide at the side of the said table a stamp ribbon feed foot carried by the said slide and located over the said table, the said slide having a conical socket and the said feed foot a coned rod fitting the said socket, a knob at the end of the said rod and cam faces on the said knob and the said socket in operative connection with each other, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps, and the like, a stamp affixing pluner, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide at the side of the said table, and a stamp ribbon feed foot carried by the said slide and located over the said table, a plate secured to the said feed table extending through a groove in the said foot and adapted to continuously rest upon the stamp ribbon on the said table, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an apparatus for aflixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp afihring plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide at the side of the said table, and a stamp ribbon feed foot carried by the said slide and located over the said table, a lever pivoted to the frame of the apparatus operated by the said feed foot and adapted to hold the stamp ribbon longitudinally in position upon the feed table while severing a stamp, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp affixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide at the side of the said table, and a stamp ribbon feed foot carried by the said slide and located over the said table, a cross shaft mounted on the said foot slide an arm secured upon the end of the said shaft adjacent to the said feed foot adapted to raise the latter, an arm secured to the other end of the said shaft, a block pivoted thereto and a rod pivoted to the said plunger and adapted to slide in the said block and the said rod having an abutment to contact with the said block when the said feed slide moves outward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp ailixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide at the side of the said table, and a stamp ribbon feed foot carried by the said. slide and located over the said table, a side shaft mounted on the frame of the apparatus, an arm and a finger secured thereto the former being under the control of the said plunger and the latter adapted to arrest the said feed slide on its inward movement to allow the feed foot to drop, is ulstantially as and for the purpose speci- 8. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp affixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide and foot, two vertically movable stamp supporting arms having each at the lower end a stud, a roller and a damping medium on each of the said studs located below the periphery of the said rollers while the stamp rests upon them and means for turning the said damping medium against the stamp when the said arms move outward to damp the stamp from the middle to each side thereof and means for bringing the said damping medium into their normal position again, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In an apparatus for aifixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp aflixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide and foot, two vertically movable stamp supporting arms having each at the lower end a stud, a roller and a damping medium on each of the said studs located below the periphery of the said rollers while the stamp rests upon them and means for turning the said damping medium against the stamp when the said arms move outward to damp the stamp from the middle to each side thereof, means for bringing the said damping medium into their normal position bon feed slide and foot, tWo vertically movable stamp supporting arms having each at their lower ends a stud, a roller and a damping medium on each of the said studs, comprising a plate pivoted thereto and carrying a series of tubes each containing a capillary damping medium and furnished with a flexible nipple, substantially as and for the purpose specified.-

11. In an apparatus for ailixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp aflixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon ieed slide and foot, two vertically movable stamp supporting arms having each at their lOWGI ends a stud, a roller and a damping medium on each of the said studs, and a water reservoir pivoted to the base of the apparatus supplying the said damping medium with Water, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. In an apparatus for affixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp aflixing plunger, a stamp ribbon feed table, a stamp ribbon feed slide and foot, a delivery roller mounted in the base of the apparatus, a pinionsecured thereto and a rack in gear with the said pinion actuated by the said feed slide for imparting motion to the said roller, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

18. In an apparatus for aifixing postage stamps and the like, a stamp aflixing plunger, adelivery roller mounted in the base of the apparatus and actuated from the said plunger, a frame slidably attached to the front of the base of the apparatus and a bag suspended from and capable of being extended or collapsed by the said frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

ALFRED BOSSHARDT, STANLEY E. BRAMALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

